Method of shoe heel attachment



June 15 1937. H. GORDON METHOD OF SHOE HEEL ATTACHMENT Filed May 25, 1934 4 Sheet eet l Hzrczm Gord 7 v cin ja a l June 15, 1937 H, GORDON 2,083,559

METHOD OF SHOE HEEL ATTACHMENT Filed May 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Zb Jmwntoz fi c'ram Garden June 15,1937. GORDON 2,083,559

METHOD OF SHOE HEEL ATTACHMENT Filed May 25, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet s gmmhtoo Hiram 60722 072 June 15, 1937. H. GORDON METHOD OF SHOE HEEL ATTACHMENT Filed May 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Hi'ra Gordon flww a Patented June 15, 1937.

PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF SHOE HEEL ATTACHMENT Hiram Gordon, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Y Application May 23, 1934, Serial No. 727,155

This invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and similar articles of footwear, and has particular reference to an improved method for' effecting the securing of heels to the heel-receiving seats ofsuch shoes without emplomng nails 'or other equivalent metallic fastening devices.

My invention has for its object the provision of both method and means for adhesively uniting or cementing a shoe heel to its adjoining heel seat, and to accomplish this in such animproved manner that separation ofthe heel from its seat will be virtually impossible without tearing of the outsole or the destruction of the shoe. 7 In the manufacture of womens shoes particu- 15 larly, including the customary wooden heels, it is a well known fact that considerable practical difliculty is encountered in the matter of securely and permanently connecting such heels to the heel seat of an outsole. Generally. this has been done with the use of nails and/or screws, but with these customary methods of attachment, it is a common occurrence, when the shoes are put into practical service, for the heels to become loosened and susceptible to being readily knocked oif or 25 attendant annoyance and repair on the part of the users thereof.

The present invention aims to improve. the

situation by adhesively bonding through the me-' dium of a pyroxylin cement a wooden or other 30 type of heel to the heel seat of an associated shoe, whereby to provide a' permanent and lastservice of the shoe so made.

It is also another object of the invention to provide an improved method for attaching heel bodies to the heel seats of shoes in a more economical and facile system of manufacture than that which generally obtains with customary methods of fastening the heels, to the end of aifording marked economy in manufacturing costs.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following descrip- 45 tion and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view disclosing the heel end of a shoe outsole perforated to receive the adhesive employed in uniting the outsole with an associated heel;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a covered wood heel used in shoe manufacture and which is adapted for adhesive attachment with the'outsole dis-- otherwise detached from the shoe proper with V .the adhesive receiving openings provided in the outsole; Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the outsole on the plane indicated by the line IVIV,of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through the upper end of a wooden heel on the plane indicated by the line VV of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view disclosing the operation of activating the cement impregnated outsole after the latter has been trimmed to form a heel seat and immediately prior to the step of applying the heel to the heel seat;

Fig. 7 is a similar view disclosing the step of activating the cement coated upper surface of a heel by the application of a solvent thereto, immediately before applying the heel to the heel seat of the outsole disclosed in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation setting forth the operation' of applying pressure to the heel when the latter is fltted upon the heel seat of a shoe' and immediately following activation of the cement coated surfaces of both the heel and outsole;

Fig. 9' is a detail top plan view disclosing one method of perforating the heel seat of a shoe outsole for the reception of the cement;

Fig. 10 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line X-X of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to that disclosed in Fig. 9 but setting forth another method or form of perforation for the outsole heel seat;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line XII-Jill of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a of heel seat;

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view on the line XIV-XIV of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken through a cement holding vessel and illustrating the .operation of impregnating the heel end of a shoe outsole with the cement employed by the present invention;

Fig. 16 is a detail sectional view disclosing the method of producing a sheet of pyroxylin cement for use in carrying out a modified method of manufacture in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 1'7 is a view in perspective of a sheet of pyroxylin cement cut to conform to the configuration of the heel seat of a shoe;

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view on the line detail plan view of a modified form XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a detail perspective view setting forth the operation of dipping the sheet of cement into a solvent for the purpose of activating the same immediately prior to the use of the sheet in the joining of a heel with a shoe heel seat;

Fig. discloses the operation of inserting the activated cement sheet on the heel seat of a shoe immediately prior to the engagement of the heel proper therewith; I

Fig. 21 discloses the shoe with .the heel attached while retained in a press.

Fig. 22 is a detail bottom plan view showing the heel end of the shoe with the outsole trimmed for the reception of a wooden heel. In this form of the invention, both the outsole and insole of the shoe are cemented together in the region of the heel seat.

Fig. 23 is a top plan view of the form of shoe disclosed in Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line XXIV-mi! of Fig. 22;

Fig. 25 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane indicated by the line XXV- m of Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a plan view of the wooden heel deinclusive, the outsole i of a shoe is provided at the heel end thereof with a plurality of perfora-,

tions, indicated by the numeral 2. These perforations pass vertically through the heel end of the outsole, as shown in Fig. 4, and have their upper end terminated in lateral extensions 3. The heel end of the outsole is then impregnated with, or has otherwise suitably applied thereto,

a pyroxylin cement, indicated at 4. This operation may be conveniently effected, as shown in Fig. 15, by inserting the heel end of the outsole into a vessel 5 in which a suitable body of liquid pyroxylin cement is maintained. The top of the vessel 5 may be provided with pivotally mounted spring pressed guides 6, which cooperate with springs I. The insertion of the heel end of the outsole between the guides-6 spreads the latter apart at their lower ends, permitting the outsole to be immersed in the liquid cement contained within said vessel. Then upon the withdrawal of the outsole, the lower edges of the guides 6 serve as wipers in removing excess quantities of the cement from the surfaces of the outsole. Outsoles so dipped are then permitted to dry and may be subsequently incorporated in connection with a shoe by customary methods of manufacture in which the outsole is sewed or otherwise secured to the welt or marginal edges of the shoe upper. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, when the outsole is secured to the upper, with the shoe maintained on a last, the heel end of the outsole is cut or trimmed in the customary manner to provide a beveled heel seat 8 for the reception of the wooden or other type of heel 9, whereby a close fit or joint between the marginal edges H) of the heel and the adjoining portion of the upper H is obtainable in the usual manner. It will be understood that the previous dipping of the outsole into the cement, and the drying of the cement thereon, does not in any way interfere with or change the accepted and commonly used steps of manufacture employed in uniting the outsole with the upper or in the treatment of the outsole for the accommodation of the heel- 9. Similarly, the upper surface I2 of the heel prior to being at-= aoeaeee tached to the outsole, may be coated with the cement as indicated at it, and usually this cement is in a dry state when the heel is to be applied to the seat 6.

In order to activate the cement, I apply thereto, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, a suitable solvent which restores the tackiness so that it may be employed to unite the contiguous bodies. While I preferably coat both the heel portion of the outsole and the heel surface 52' with the cement, nevertheless it will be understood that it is within the scope of the invention to merely coat but one of these surfaces, if this should be so desired.

When the cement bearing surfaces have been suitably treated with the solvent activate, the heel is then placed on the seat 8, as shown in Fig. 8, in proper fitting relationship with the heel end of the shoe, and the entire assembly is then placed within a press indicated at M, so that the adjacent surfaces of the heel and outsole may be firmly forced together to secure the proper and desired connection between the shoe parts. After remaining in the press for a period of five or ten minutes, the shoe may be removed and other finishing operations on the shoe may be carried out in the usual manner.

In Fig. 9, the perforations 2' in the heel end of the outsole are substantially T-shaped in cross section to afford an anchor for the cement pegs which are formed in the outsole, and I have found this formation to be very effective in effecting a secure union between the heel and outsole. In Fig. 11, the perforations 2a have been shown as extending completely through the heel v end of the outsole and of substantially uniform diameter. In Fig. 13, instead of completely perforating the heel end of the outsole, I merely provide spaced recesses or pockets 2b in which the cement is received. By arranging the cement on both the upper and lower surfaces of the heel end of the outsole, not only does the cement serve in uniting the heel with the outsole but also in joining in a similarly positive manner the upper surface of the outsole with the shoe insole or upper. It will be understood, however, that it is within the scope of the invention to apply the cement merely to the lower surface of the heel end of the outsole where it adjoins the heel 9.

I have found that shoes having heels attached in accordance with this method and made under factory conditions of production can be produced at considerably lower manufacturing costs than obtains when customary methods of attachment, utilizing metallic fastening devices, are employed. From the standpoint of the purchaser or user of the shoes having heels so attached, improvement is present in the fact that it is practically impossible, without actual destruction of the shoes, to remove the heels. In fact, the union between the heels and the outsoles is so fixed and permanent that tests which I have made to forcibly remove the heels from the shoes, have disclosed that such removal can only be effected by the tearing of the outsole, there having been no separation whatever between the cement joined surfaces of the connected bodies. Also, from the users standpoint, the present invention is an improvement in the factthat nails, screws and othermetallic fasteners are eliminated from the heel region of the shoe and therefore will not be present to cause the wearer any discomfort.

I havebeen unable to secure these results without employing a pyroxylin cement and a typical analysis of a cement of this character which I have found particularly suitable as a base is as follows:

Per cent Amyl acetate 75 Resi 10 Cotton 10 Plasticizer shaped forms and inserted between the heel and 3 the outsole when in an activated condition so that the heel and outsole may be joined when pressure is applied thereto. In the formation of these sheets, I spread the cement composition in the form of a thin layer on a glass plate indi-- cated at 20. After the cement has set or hardened, it can be liberated in the form of a thin sheet from the upper surface of the plate 20 by means of a sharp edged tool indicated at 2|. Upon removal from the plate 20, the sheet of cement, indicated at 22 is cut into heel shaped formation as disclosed in Fig. 17, and preferably the sheet 22 is perforated as at 23 to provide for the free spreading thereof when activated with a solvent. Also, immediately prior to pouring the cement on the plate 20, the cement is actively r and vigorously stirred to entrap air in "the form of small bubbles or cells in the cement, so that these minute air cells, as indicated at 24, will be present in the cement sheet to assist in a spreading action and the entry thereof into crevices when it is being used for heel attachment. After the cement sheet has been blanked as disclosed in Fig. 17, it may be activated at the time of use by with the heel seat.

immersing the same in a solvent bath, as shown in Fig. 19, disposed in the vessel 25. The cement sheetis then placed on the trimmed seat 26 of a shoe outsole 21, as indicated in Fig. 20. The seat 26 may be coated with the solvent as well as the upper surface 28 of the heel body 29 disclosed in Fig. 20, or these adjoining surfaces may be likewise coated with the cement as described in reference to Figs. 6 and '7. Following the positioning of the cement sheet and. the

desired fitting of the heel bodyin contact therewith, the shoe assembly is then placed in a press indicated at 30 in Fig. 21 and suitable pressure applied to the heelto cause its firm adherence These operations may be readily and quickly carried out by ordinary shoe factory operatives; no particular skill on their part is required and my improved methods thus adapt themselves quite readily to factory-conditions of shoe production.

In the form of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 22 to 2'7 inclusive, the insole of the shoe is designated by the numeral 35, the outsole by the numeral 36, the counter is indicated at 31 and a last employed in the manufacture of the shoe is designated at 38. In this form of my invention, the heel receiving end of the outsole is marginally trimmed as disclosed at 3! in order to be properly fitted for the reception of the adjoining portion of a wood heel 4li. At the time of fitting or trimming the outsole, or prior to the fitting of the wood heel thereon, the outsole and insole are suitably perforated to produce the vertically dis posed registering openings 4|, which are filled with the cement or adhesive to form what may be termed cementpegs, as indicated at 42 which unite the outsole and insole in secured relationship. The lower ends of these pegs, as viewed in Fig. 24, are widened to produce flaring flat heads 43 by the engagement of the cement with the last plate 44. The wood heel 40 is secured to the fitted surfaces of the outsole by either of the previously described methods and greater strength may be obtained by providing the heel 40 with openings 45 which are preferably a1 ranged in offset or staggered relationship to the openings 4|. The openings 45 are also adapted to receive the uniting cement to produce the pegs 46. By this construction, the insole, the outsole and the heel body are adhesively united in, for

all intents and purposes, permanent engagement,

without'the use of ordinary metallic fastening appliances and in a readily executed and enduring manner.

What is claimed is:

1. That improvement in methods of attaching heels to shoes which comprises producing registering openings in the heel receiving region of a shoe outsole and insole, filling said openings with a.

cement, providing a film of said cement between the outsole and an adjoining heel body. activating.

the film immediately prior to the joining of theheel body with said outsole, andwhile the'cement is so activated, holding the heel body under pressure in its seated position on the outsole during the setting of the cement.

2. That improvement in methods of attaching heels to shoes which comprises perforating the heel receiving end of a shoe outsole and the adjacent portions of the insole, substantially filling said perforations with a pyroxylin cement, applying a film of said cement on the heel receiving surface of the outsole, activating the cement films, and holding the heel body in engagement with the outsole under pressure during the setting of the cement.

3. In the attachment of heels to shoes, the steps which comprise producing registering openings passing vertically through the outsole and insole of a shoe in the heel seating region thereof, filling said perforations with a pyroxyiin cement and ing heels with shoes, comprising, cutting a sheet of solid pyroxylin cement to produce a wafer there.

from possessing heel configuration, activating said cement by the application of a solvent thereto, placing the activated wafer of cement between the adjoining surfaces of the heel and the heel seating region of the shoe, and holding the heel under pressure in its seated position on the shoe during the setting of the cement.

5. In a shoe, an insole and an outsole provided in the heel region thereof with spaced vertically disposed registering openings, studs of cement positioned within said openings and uniting the insole and outsole, a heel body, and a film of cement positioned between the adjoining surfaces of the heel and outsole and uniting the heel with the outsole.

6. In a shoe, an insole and an outsole provided in the heel region thereof with vertically disposed registering openings, cementing studs uniting said insole and. outsole, a wood heel, and a film of cement interposed between the adjoining surfaces of said heel and said. outsole and adhesively securing said heel to the outsole, the surfaces of said heel receiving the cement being provided with pockets laterally offset with respect to the registering openings in the insole and-outsole.

'7. In a shoe, an outsole having in the heel region thereof a plurality of vertically extending spaced openings for the reception of a heel connecting cement, said openings being provided at their upper ends with enlarged lateral ofisets.

aoeasse 8. in the manufacture of shoes, the method of permanently attaching a heel to a shoe which comprises applying pyroxylin to the heel portion of an unattached outsole, attaching the outsole to a'lasted shoe, trimming the heel portion of the attached outsole to fit it for the reception of a heel, applying pyroxylin to the attaching face of a heel, activating at least one of the pyroxylin surfaces, and immediately pressing together the pyroxyiin surfaces of the heel and the shoe.

HIRAM GORDON. 

